Tent



J. C. PYATT April 5, 193s.

TENT

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV.' 6, 1935 www J. C. PYATT April 5, 1938.

TENT

Filed Nov. e, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 ag, www1/vm Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE TENT Appiieation November 6, 1935, Serial No. 48,521

11 Claims.

VThis invention relates to tents and more parn ticularly to tents having a folding framework.

One object of this invention is to provide a tent l which may be very readily put up and taken down.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tent having a unitary frame structure with a covering attached to the frame and foldable with Y the frame, so that the tent may be stowed complete.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tent frame having jointed parts all of which remain connected as the frame is put up or taken down. Y l5 will be apparent from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tent, with the netting cover, the storm top, and the storm side partially broken away to show the frame structure of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view oi the top arm connecting member or hub;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view oi?. the hub;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the side arm connection member;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the connection between a top arm and a side arm, shown partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of a portion of the frame in partly folded position; and

Fig. '7 is a Vertical section corresponding to Fig. 6, but showing the frame in a set-up position.

In the drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views, the invention is shown as a tent having a covering of netting or similar material as a protection against insects, and also having an additional weather protection which can be used if desired. It will be understood that a tent or similar construction having a greater or lesser number of sides than that illustrated may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

The tent frame in accordance with the present invention, can be readily folded and spread or put up. This frame includes elements that are linterconnected as by simple hinge connections permitting folding and unfolding movements without disassembly or disconnection of the elements. Where a covering of mosquito netting is used the covering may remain attached to the frame elements and collapsed or put up with Other objects and advantages of the invention n the collapsing or erecting movements of the frame. The tent frame includes a top connecting member or plate designated generally by the numeral Ill, top arms II radiating from this tcp plate, and side supports I2 depending from the outer ends of the top arms II. The interconnections of these parts is such that as they are unfolded they move into proper position so that the top connecting member IB is elevated and the top arms II which radiate from it define the top of the structure, and the side supports I2 define the sides, the outer end of each top arm being supported by a pair of side supports which diverge downwardly with the bottom end of each. side support connected with the bottom end of the adjacent side support of the next pair.

The pivotal interconnection of all the frame parts permits folding of the frame without any disassembly, to form a compact bundle. When folded, the top connecting member is positioned down inside the side supports, which are drawn in and closely surround the top connecting member in positions approximately paralleling each other; and the top arms extend downwardly, lying Within the now closely grouped side supports and nearly parallel to each other and to the side supports. The interconnection of parts which contributes to the advantages set out above includes hinge connections between the top connection member and the top arms, and means defining the set-up position of. the top arms, hinge connections joining the outer end of each top arm with its associated pair of side supports, and hinge connections at the lower ends of the side supports joining them in the order chosen. The construction and operation of one embodiment of this invention will now be described in detail.

The top connecting member i0, from which the top arms Il radiate, is preferably constructed as a casting having its lower portion formed as a stop surface or disk I3. Projecting up from surface I3 is a hub portion I4 of smaller diameter than the stop surface I3. The hub portion has formed in it a plurality of. recesses I5, opening radially outwardly and upwardly. The portion of disk i3 which extends beyond hub I4 slopes downwardly away from the hub, the angle of slope governing the position of top arms II when the tent is set up, since these top arms are pivoted one in each recess of the hub, and are located against the stop surface when the tent is erected.

The upstanding lugs I6 between the recesses l5 have notches Il' cut in their tops. These notches are placed toward the rear of the top openings of recesses I and receive in them the ends of pivot pins I8 on which top arms II are pivoted at their inner ends. It is preferred to extend these notches straight across lugs I6 from one recess to the next, and to make them enough larger than pivot pins I8 so that the pins, although resting in two notches lying at an angle to each other, may still assume their normal position necessary to allow top arms II to extend radially. These pins are held in place by cap plate I9 which is about the same diameter as hub I4 and which is notched to correspond to the upper openings of recesses l5. Cap I9 and hub I4 are centrally bored to receive bolt 20, which holds the parts assembled. The disk I3 and hub I4 may be cast integrally from a light weight metal.

Top arms II are preferably made of wood, but may be reinforced or sheathed with metal from their inner ends to the point where they contact with stop disk I3 when the tent is erected; this sheathing also reinforcing the bores which receive pivot pins I8, as well as reinforcing the top arms where they contact with disk I3. The positioning of pivot pins I8, the shape of recesses I5 and the slope of disk I3 on its upper side are all coordinated to give adequate support to top arms II when in extended position, and are likewise proportioned to give the desired shape to the tent, and the desired components to the tension springs to be described below.

The outer ends of each top arm I I are enclosed by a sheet metal clip 24 of a connection means designated generally by reference numeral 23. Two similar clips embrace the upper ends of a pair of side supports I2. Each clip tightly embraces the end of an associated arm, small tacks serving to prevent endwise movement of the clips. The two clips of the side supports are pivotally interconnected for relative movement on a horizontal axis by means of a horizontally extending eye bolt 25, the eye portion of which receives a bolt 25 which passes horizontally through the clip 24 of the top arm I I. A pair of downwardly diverging side supports I2 is thus attached to the outer end of each top arm II so that any of the connected arms can move relatively to either of the others. The side supports are preferably constructed of wood, and in a tent of preferred proportions will be somewhat longer than top arms II. These side supports -extend downwardly and outwardly from top arms II and have their bottom ends joined at 26 each side support being pivotally connected to the adjacent side support of the next pair. Except for the two side supports between which the entrance is cut, the bottom ends are joined by lower pivotal connections including clips of metal like the clips 24 which clamp around the lower ends of side supports I2, and which are pivotally interconnected by a pivot bolt.

To provide a doorway for the tent, the bottoms of two side supports extending downwardly from two adjacent top arms I I are spaced apart a -distance somewhat less than the distance between the outer ends of the two top arms by a thresh- -old assembly 2l. The lower ends of these side supports are connected in the same way as the others, as by clip pieces 29 pivotally interconnected for attachment to the other ends of the two threshold rods 29 which are of equal length and are pivoted together. This construction allows the threshold pieces 29 to swing upwardly during folding.

The tent is held both in its set-up or erected position by a spring 33, there being a spring section between each two top arms II.. These springs are fastened to the lower sides of the top arms I I a short distance beyond the edge of disk I3 and together form a ring of springs surrounding this disk. Because of the inclination of the upper face of disk I3, together with the positioning of pivot pins I8, when the arms are in set-up position they are suiiciently inclined from the horizontal so that the pull of springs 33 has a vertical component sufficient to hold the arms in their set-up position, and consequently to maintain the entire tent structure in its erected position. As soon as a folding operation takes place, however, the springs 33 pull the top arms II together into a compact bundle, and the side supports I2 are in turn pulled inwardly, due to the action of the pivot connections at 23.

The covering of the tent may be secured to the framework so as to fold with it. In the mosquito tent shown, the covering includes a canvas oor 35, which is tacked or bound at each joint 26 to the framework. This floor may be held spread as by rings 36 which may receive a small stake or a guy rope. The sides and top are covered by netting 38 which is stitched to the floor 35 and tacked or fastened at the tops of side supports I2. It is preferred to reinforce this netting where it overlies the connections 24 between the top arms and the side supports, and alsol where it overlies the top plate I0. In addition the tent may be equipped with a storm top 31 which is removably fastened, as by snap fasteners, to the side arms at their upper ends. Storm sides 3S may likewise be provided and likewise removably attached. These storm sides and top are made from heavy canvas, and the top includes a depending ap which overlies the storm side and covers the joint between the two. Entrance to the tent may be provided by a sliding fastener inserted in the netting covering between the two' side supports connected by the threshold pieces 29, and the storm side may have the usual tent flaps. In addition the tent may be equipped with a canvas carrying bag of proper size to hold the entire tent when in folded position.

The tent while folded has a roughly cylindrical shape, its length being approximately that of the length of the side pieces and its diameter slightly greater than the diameter of top plate I. To erect the tent the bottoms of the side supports are spread out and the threshold pieces unfolded. It is then possible to reach in through the doorway of the tent and push upwardly on the bottom of connecting member I0, and as the latter is pushed beyond the position in which the top arms II extend radially, springs 34 exert a pull which holds the top arms in contact with disk I3, and holds the entire tent in position. It only remains to make some slight adjustment of the bottoms of the side supports, as they may not have reached their fully extended position due to' the play or slack in the pivot connections. Folding of the tent is equally simple and comprises merely the reverse operations, it being only necessary to pull down on top plate I0, and the top arms II will then be drawn to their folded position by springs 33, pulling with them side supports I2. The bottoms of the side supports are then gathered together.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A frame of the character described comprising a top member, arms connected to said member, stop means dem'ng a spread position of the arms, supports for the ends of said arms and yieldable means urging the arms against said stop means when the frame is set up, but urging the arms toward folded position away from said stop means during folding.

2. A tent comprising a oldable frame adapted for the sup-port of a frame covering, said frame including a top member, radial arms pivoted to said top member, each arm having movement in a vertical plane, stop means dening the position of the arms with respect to the top member when the tent is set up, side supports attached to said arms, and yieldable means urging the arms against said stop means when the tent is set up.

3. A tent comprising a foldable frame adapted for the support of a frame covering, said fra-me including a top plate, top arms pivoted to said top plate, stop means dening the position of the top arms with respect to the top plate when the tent is set up, side supports attached to said top arms, and yieldable means urging thetop arms against said stop means when the tent is set up, but urging the top arms toward folded position away from said stop means during fold- 4. A tent comprising a foldable frame adapted for the support of a frame covering, said frame including a top plate, top arms pivoted to said top plate, stop means dening the position of the top arms with respect to the top plate when the tent is set up, a plurality of pairs of side supports the upper ends of each pair being pivotally attached to the outer end of each top arm, the lower end of each side support being connected to the lower end of the adjacent side support of the next pair, and means holding said top arms against said stop means.

5. A tent comprising a foldable frame, said frame including a top plate, top arms movably connected to said top plate, and a plurality of pairs of side supports, the top ends of each pair having a pivotal interconnection with the outer end oi a top arm and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower end of each side arm being pivoted to the lower end of the adjacent side arm of the next pair.

6. A tent frame comprising a series of radially extending top arms, a pair of upwardly converging side arms for each top arm, and a connecting means pivotally interconnecting the outer end of a top arm and the upper ends of a pair of side arms for relative movement of the side arms on a horizontal axis and for movement of the top arm relatively to either side arm on a horizontal axis.

7. A tent comprising a foldable frame, said frame including a top plate, top arms movably connected to said top plate, and a plurality of pairs of side supports, connecting means pivotally connected to the top endslof each pair and to the outer end of a top arm and providing for movement of all of said arms and supports into substantial parallelism, and means pivotally connecting the lower end of each side support to the lower end of an adjacent side support of the next pair on a horizontal axis.

8. In a tent, a top member having a hub portion provided with recesses opening radially and upwardly, said top member having a portion extending beyond said hub and having a stop suriace, top arms each having one end pivoted to said top member in one of said recesses, side supports each pivoted to the outer end of a top arm, and means urging said top arms into contact with the stop surface of the top member.

9. In a tent, a top member having a hub portion provided with recesses opening radially and upwardly, part of said top member extending beyond said hub portion and having an inclined lower surface, top arms each having one end pivoted for movement in one of said recesses, a plurality of pairs oi downwardly extending side supports, connection means pivotallyinterconnecting the outer end of each top arm with thev upper ends of a pair of side supports, means joining the lower end of a side support with the lower end of the adjacent side support or the next pair, door spacing means pivotally joining in spaced relationship two adjacent side supports at their lower ends, the upper ends of said two side supports being attached to adjoining top arms, and a common spring normally urging all said top arms into contact with said inclined surfaces of the top plate to hold the tent spread, said spring being connected to said top arms at a distance from said inclined surfaces to urge the frame toward collapsed position after the top member is lowered a predetermined amount.

l0. In a tent frame, a top arm, a pair of upwardly converging side supports connected at their upper ends at a common point to said top arm for the support of the outer end of the top arm, and means pivotally connecting said side supports and top arm for relative movement of the side supports cna substantially horizontal axis corresponding generally to the longitudinal axis of said top arm and for relative movement of the top arm with respect to the side supports about a second horizontal axis which is substantially transverse to the rst said horizontal axis.

l1. In a tent frame, a top arm, a pair of upwardly converging side supports connected at their upper ends at a common point to said top arm for the support of the outer end of the top arm, and means pivotally connecting said side supports and top arm for relative movement of the side supports on a substantially horizontal axis corresponding generally to the longitudinal axis of said top arm and for relative movement of the top arm with respect to the side supports about a second horizontal axis which is substan tially transverse to the rst said horizontal axis, said connecting means having relatively movable portions clamping around the ends of the connected arms and supports.

JAMES C. PYATT. 

